Boiling a Frog Slowly

Author: Cathy Park Kelly
Publisher: Karavan Press
Reviewer: Gail Gilbride (Under The African Sun)
Abuse creeps into one’s life, like a thief in the night.
Even a match made in heaven, can take an unexpected turn. And no, you don’t always see it coming and it isn’t always physical. The exact moment of clarity is hard to define. The decision to leave is fraught with vacillating contradictions.
Does this sound at all familiar?

The heroine of Boiling a frog slowly, teaches juvenile offenders in jail. It’s challenging and frightening at times. So luckily, she has a safe haven and partner to come home to…
And she does at first. But ever so gradually, things change. Yes, love and passion are there to begin with. So how come she creeps to her car some nights and curls up on the backseat? Why does her new safe place become an all-night roadhouse? And what’s with the lies to those dearest to her?  
When Cathy experiences her grandmother’s armoire being smashed to pieces in her bedroom, a vital piece of this confusing puzzle finally clicks into place.
Boiling a Frog Slowly is not only about insidious abuse. It is also about digging deep and trusting the inner strength you discover, when you thought it had disappeared forever.
Park Kelly writes deftly and with heart-breaking insightfulness. Her story struck many chords, on a number of levels. If you or anyone you know, has suffered abuse of any sort, then this memoir should be at the top of your reading pile.  ​